illumy gives you the best of email AND chat … with the flexibility to send either type of message depending on who you’re talking to.
If your contact is also on illumy, your message is sent as an instant message (IM) chat. If your contact has a non-illumy email address, your illumy message will be sent as an email.
No matter which message type you send, your conversation will be threaded in a single, endlessly scrolling stream — for better organization, super-speedy load times, and easy searchability.
Here’s when each kind of message (email vs. chat) makes the most sense.
When you want to message asymmetrically
“Asymmetric” means you and your contact message at different times. Email is asymmetric in practice: outside of work (e.g., an urgent mail from a client), you’re not usually expected to respond to an email the moment you receive it.
Email is perfect for asymmetric conversations like:
– Making an appointment
– Sharing photos with family
– Sending a .pdf or other document
Basically, if the conversation is non-urgent, an illumy message sent via email is a good choice. And illumy’s 2GB of included storage makes it an ideal tool for file sharing.
When you want true instant messaging
You may be old enough to remember AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) or even ICQ. These so-called instant messaging platforms were revolutionary when they were introduced — turning online communication into something akin to a real conversation.
AIM may have been switched off, but fear not: illumy has you covered. illumy chat is perfect for conversations like:
– Making plans with friends
– Going back and forth about a time-sensitive project
– Private discussions (illumy chats, unlike emails, are end-to-end encrypted)
An added benefit to illumy chat is the ability to hop on a VoIP call right within the conversation. All you need is 1) for your contact to also be on illumy and 2) a data connection. It’s totally free and totally unlimited.
The illumy difference: symmetric and asymmetric conversations in one inbox
Chat apps like WhatsApp and Viber are meant for symmetric conversations, while email platforms like Gmail are designed to be asymmetric. illumy is both at once.
Our vision is that you’ll use illumy to make ALL of your conversations — email/chat/voice/video — faster, easier, safer, and more fun.
Email and chat are in today’s illumy, while video calling and VoIP calls to phone numbers will arrive in version 3.0 of the illumy platform. Want to be the first to know when illumy 3.0 drops? Just enter your email at illumy.com and you’ll be added to our early-access list.
We’re excited to be building the future of conversation with you … so stay tuned for what’s to come on illumy.
